Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 2, 2021

16,225 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary report →

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $156.74/cwt +0.62 vs last sale · ≈ $1,375/hd at 877 lb · 2,082 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $150.59/cwt +1.95 vs last sale · ≈ $1,462/hd at 971 lb · 1,653 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $152.60/cwt -1.45 vs last sale · ≈ $1,416/hd at 928 lb · 1,273 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 16,225 20,079 13,204
Feeder cattle 15,146 19,512 11,691
Slaughter cattle 1,079 567 1,513

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers steady to 3.00 higher, heifers steady to 2.00 higher. Very good demand for yearlings this week, especially for those off grass as they are in a very attractive light fleshed condition. The devastating drought continues to rage across the trade area and is forcing cattle off grass much earlier than normal. The market was very active as cattle feeders want to get these long strings of yearlings bought now while they are available. The back months of the Live Cattle futures contracts is really driving the feeder market as April is just shy of 140.00. The spot month is outperforming many industry analyst’s expectations, which is also fueling demand for feeder cattle. Slaughter cows and bulls steady to 2.00 higher.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
537–544 541 53 177.00–189.00 $182.70 $988 -16.30
556–590 568 30 181.00–190.75 $187.04 $1,062 -3.79
615–645 623 243 166.00–184.75 $178.68 $1,113 -6.53
654–693 672 368 158.50–178.75 $175.97 $1,183 -3.21
707–749 723 464 152.00–176.25 $169.03 $1,222 -5.42
751–799 774 537 152.50–169.50 $164.20 $1,271 -5.71
800–843 823 561 138.50–164.00 $158.38 $1,303 -0.52
851–898 877 2,082 144.50–164.70 $156.74 $1,375 +0.52
905–947 928 1,273 146.50–156.60 $152.60 $1,416 -1.85
951–998 971 1,653 142.00–155.00 $150.59 $1,462 +1.73
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1001–1028 1020 534 137.50–149.00 $144.03 $1,469 -1.99
1057–1090 1071 231 130.50–140.75 $138.60 $1,484 -1.51
1116–1128 1124 285 137.00–140.50 $140.10 $1,575 +2.86
1168 1168 6 125.00 $125.00 $1,460 —
1213 1213 119 128.75 $128.75 $1,562 +2.50
1254 1254 11 128.00 $128.00 $1,605 +2.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1297 1297 9 127.00 $127.00 $1,647 —
1292–1359 1319 10 115.00–119.00 $117.35 $1,548 —
1233–1353 1326 39 118.50–125.50 $121.12 $1,606 —
1328–1373 1350 32 127.00–129.50 $128.34 $1,733 +10.34
1422 1422 12 120.00 $120.00 $1,706 —
1352–1489 1429 212 121.00–125.00 $123.23 $1,761 —
1462 1462 40 133.00 $133.00 $1,944 +11.85
1525–1557 1544 19 122.50–124.00 $123.12 $1,901 —
1551 1551 4 119.00 $119.00 $1,846 —
1601 1601 4 119.00 $119.00 $1,905 -1.00
1703–1709 1708 36 121.50–124.00 $123.72 $2,113 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
431 thin fleshed 431 17 187.00 $187.00 $806 -6.00
490 490 16 169.00 $169.00 $828 —
500 500 3 171.00 $171.00 $855 —
520–527 thin fleshed 525 40 179.50–181.50 $180.91 $950 -16.09
572 572 3 160.00 $160.00 $915 -11.00
611–623 614 26 152.00–167.00 $163.44 $1,004 —
667–670 668 12 160.00–166.00 $163.49 $1,092 -2.31
700–747 726 18 132.00–159.00 $148.04 $1,075 -6.46
748 thin fleshed 748 13 161.00 $161.00 $1,204 —
750–795 772 85 144.00–157.00 $152.62 $1,178 +2.62
805 thin fleshed 805 5 152.00 $152.00 $1,224 —
815–849 831 24 120.50–145.50 $139.46 $1,159 -5.14
890–896 891 37 129.00–148.00 $144.06 $1,284 +18.06
928–936 933 15 126.00–138.50 $134.36 $1,254 -12.64
971 971 5 128.00 $128.00 $1,243 -10.28
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
623 623 12 142.00 $142.00 $885 +10.74
711 711 13 112.00 $112.00 $796 -20.50
756 756 13 120.50 $120.50 $911 +1.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1011 1011 4 128.00 $128.00 $1,294 —
1080 1080 28 134.00 $134.00 $1,447 +8.50

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 14 169.00 $169.00 $752 -8.00
517–545 535 97 157.00–167.00 $162.53 $870 -7.12
555–599 578 141 155.50–168.50 $162.76 $941 -0.53
605 thin fleshed 605 110 170.35 $170.35 $1,031 —
602–645 620 378 150.50–168.25 $161.06 $999 -2.46
650–698 684 527 154.50–162.75 $156.72 $1,072 -3.83
704–749 727 591 142.00–157.25 $152.98 $1,112 +0.83
750–797 780 673 139.00–154.00 $150.30 $1,172 -1.11
801–848 827 783 140.00–152.50 $148.24 $1,226 -1.94
835 835 10 135.00 $135.00 $1,127 -15.18
850–896 866 668 136.50–147.50 $146.33 $1,267 +3.83
900–947 915 321 126.00–153.00 $137.86 $1,261 -5.33
960–998 966 202 138.00–139.50 $139.07 $1,343 +8.38
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
438 438 16 161.00 $161.00 $705 +5.00
445 thin fleshed 445 10 167.00 $167.00 $743 —
500 thin fleshed 500 64 167.50 $167.50 $838 —
510–546 527 55 140.00–163.00 $150.67 $794 +4.67
555–587 582 21 123.00–156.00 $151.15 $880 +5.15
600 600 6 136.00 $136.00 $816 -20.24
650–682 671 29 141.00–156.00 $146.01 $980 +6.01
703–744 730 36 131.00–146.00 $137.06 $1,001 -1.94
782–795 791 22 140.00–144.25 $142.91 $1,130 —
805–831 818 50 131.00–137.50 $133.54 $1,092 -1.59
854–862 856 14 129.00–139.00 $131.88 $1,129 —
912 912 7 126.00 $126.00 $1,149 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1011–1046 1027 90 125.00–138.50 $130.39 $1,339 -5.73
1086–1097 1093 168 126.30–126.40 $126.33 $1,381 +2.28
1126 1126 16 126.25 $126.25 $1,422 —
1191 1191 8 120.00 $120.00 $1,429 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1104 1104 8 116.00 $116.00 $1,281 —
1087–1214 1143 9 117.00–120.00 $118.42 $1,354 —
1208 1208 5 124.00 $124.00 $1,498 +4.00
1233–1374 1331 78 120.00–124.00 $122.86 $1,635 —
1335 1335 38 129.00 $129.00 $1,722 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
798 798 6 115.50 $115.50 $922 —
963 963 8 118.00 $118.00 $1,136 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1009 1009 8 109.00 $109.00 $1,100 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1400–1585 1443 75-80% 8 65.00–69.50 $68.50 $988 —
1515 1515 75-80% 1 52.50 $52.50 $795 —
1150–2855 1516 75-80% 65 70.00–78.50 $74.52 $1,130 —
1465–1553 1517 75-80% 5 81.00–82.00 $81.59 $1,238 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1551 1347 80-85% 55 65.00–69.50 $67.54 $910 +1.91
1010–1489 1380 80-85% 11 70.00–73.00 $71.23 $983 —
1300–1542 1430 80-85% 8 51.00–62.00 $59.88 $856 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
846–1525 1063 85-90% 25 40.00–57.00 $47.25 $502 -3.36
781–1470 1075 85-90% 9 23.00–41.00 $31.13 $335 -19.48
685–1545 1210 85-90% 21 56.00–64.00 $58.93 $713 —
1273–1655 1307 85-90% 15 66.00–69.00 $68.44 $895 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1326 1326 65-75% 8 97.00 $97.00 $1,286 —
1478–1647 1595 65-75% 19 83.00–84.00 $83.51 $1,332 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1360–2060 1728 8 81.00–94.00 $87.90 $1,519 —
1295–2165 1784 12 94.00–102.50 $98.42 $1,756 +2.21
2130–2170 2150 2 104.00–105.00 $104.50 $2,247 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1203–1369 1303 10 112.00–113.00 $112.63 $1,468 —
1291–1320 1309 16 104.50–106.50 $105.76 $1,384 —
1343–1432 1414 88 114.00–118.00 $116.78 $1,651 —

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.